Boiler-front



' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

N. W. PRATT. BOILBR FRONT.

4Patented oct. 21, 1884,.

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(No. Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. W. PRATT. gBeILER FRONT.

Patented Oct. 21, 1884.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

N.' W.- PRATT.

BoILBR FRoNT.

Patented 0015.21, 188,47.

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(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 4.

.'N. W. PRATT.

BOILER FRONT.

No. 306,861. Y Patented Oct. 21, 1884.

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Ylimitan Freres Ferrini* Ottica.

NATHANIEL WV, IPRATT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BABOOGK fw VILOOX OOWPANY OF NEV JERSEY.

BOlLER-FRONT.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent lilo.7 306,851, dated October 21, 1884.

d Application filed March 7, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL W. PRATT, of the city ofBrooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ot' New York, have made an invention of certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Fronts; and I do hereby declarev that the following is a full, clear, and exact description and specification of the same.

This invention relates to a new method of constructing boiler-fronts and similar structures wherein the least weight is combined with the greatest attainable strength, in which advantage is taken of the forms and iinish possessed by the ordinary shapes of rolled wroughtiron-such as I-beams, channelbeams, angleiron, T-iron, and plate-iron-to build up a frame-work which shall, without further surface iinish, be suitable to hold in position and form tight joints with the panel-work and doors by which the openings in the frame-work are closed. The doors shut against the. outside surfaces,while the panels are held in position and made tight against the inside of the flanges ot' the rolled metal, the combination forming a light and durable structure, requiring a small amount of labor to tit it together, and one not liable to crack or warp out oi' shape'through differences of temperature.

In the drawings, Figure l vis a irontview showing frame-work with part of the doors and panels in positioma c being the horizontal and b b the vertical members of the framework, c, the vertical T-iron covering the joint of abutting panels d. c c are enlarged views of the locking-handles which fasten the doors ff. g y are the bases into which the vertical members are fitted. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of my boiler-front, with details. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged details showing the method of securing the panels d in place, also the adjustable hinges 7L h and the rider I on the door j". Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show the adjustable hinge h fitted to different constructions of eolumns, in all of which the outer iianges of the column are recessed to receive the hinge. Figs. 8 and 9 show the skeleton frame-work with the rockers J in position between the brackets k on Vthe boiler Z and the sole-plates fm m.' Fig. 10 is a detail ot' the sole-plate, and Fig. lladetail of the rocker. Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are horizontal sectional views of my boilerfront.

The frame-work consists of two vertical side pieces or columns resting on suitable bases or foundations, and connected together at their upper ends and at about the center ot' their height by cross-beams, the whole being held together by suitable angle-plates or brackets riveted or bolted, said columns and crossbeams to be made of the ordinary forms of rolled iron. In small-sized structures each vertical column is made up of a single piece of rolled iron, ordinarily termed a channelbeam.77 W'here greater strength is required, I-beams are used instead, and where still greater strength is desired built-up columns made of two channetbeams and two plates riveted together to form a box-column can be used, or oi' three plates riveted together in the shape ot' an I-beam by means of i'our angleirons, substantiallyas shown in details. It is preferable that the flanges of the column,

irrespective ofthe method in which itis built up, be turned to the outside for the greater convenience of fitting the hinges to them. The crossbeams can also be made up in the same manner, according to sizes, dimensions, Ste., the main object in the frame-work being to make use ofthe smooth straight surfaces ot' the rolled-iron frame-work against which to tit the doors and panels oi' the structure, without having to expend any labor beyond that which has already been expended on the raw material. To accomplish this the outside faces of the vertical and horizontal members ofthe frame-work are brought iiush with each other, and form at their upper portion a continuous seat for the door or doors that close the upper opening to shut against. The panels which close the space between the two columns and the lower horizontal beam are held in position by being placed back ot' the ilanges of the beforementioned beam and columns. Vhere the width between columns is greater than can be conveniently cast in a single panel, two or more can be used, and their juncture covered by a vertical T-iron fastened to the under side of the lower cross beam, extending 'down to IOO beam to the columns. This arrangement allows the door -pieces to adjust themselves to the different temperatures to which they are subjected without straining or cracking them. In some cases it is preferable to continue the upper cross-beam beyond the columns, and provide anchor-bolts for securing the ends to the wall,as shown. Anchor-bolts may also be provided at other` points, if desirable. In some cases it is desirable to support the weight of the boiler on either the upper or lower crossbeam, in which event it can be made of suiiicient strength for that purpose. To avoid throwing any strain on the front by the lateral expansion of the boiler, it can rest on small rollers, or preferably on thc device hereinafter described.

The doors which close the upper openings are supported by'hinges ot peculiar construction7 the stationary parteil the hinge, that is fastened to the column,being in the form of a plate of sufficient width' to reach across and bear against both flanges ot' the column, the end projecting beyond the scat against which the door shuts being provided with a pintle to iit into the hinge on the door, or else with a socket through whiclian ordinary hinge-pin can be passed. ofthe hinge in position on the column, a shallow recess is cut into each oil the vertical iiauges of the column, into which the beforementioned plate is fitted, being held in position by a single bolt that passes through the plate and the vertical web of the column. rlhe recesses that are cut into the ilangcs ofthe column prevent the hinge from being displaced vertically, while by the use of a single bolt passing through an elongated hole in the hinge the position ol' the hinge-center can be varied to match the distance from the face ofthe door. When doors are tightly fitted to place when cold, heating them up, as iu a boilerfront, throws a heavy strain upon the hingepin, and by forcing the door from its seat on the edge opposite the hinges causes serious leaks oi' air, which cool down the furnace. To avoid this quite a large amount ot' clearance is provided in'tlie holes in the door-hinges through which the hinge-pins pass, so 'that when the doors are shut againsttheir seat they can be iirmly pressed against it by means ot' the locking-handles situated at the top and bottom of each door in the center ofits width, the vertical position of the door when shut being determined by the lugs on the inside ofthe door,which ride up on the cross-beam forming the lower seat, and by the hinges upon which the outer edge is supported,whilc the contact ofthe door with its seat is wholly determined by the locking-handles, top and bottom. These locking-handles may engage with the ila-n ges of the cross-beamsthe1nselves,or with angle-irons riveted in position to serve the same purpose, the face of the latch which engages with the iiange being made inclined or wedge-shaped, as at c in the detail in Fig. l, so as to force 'perfectly true.

To secure the stationary halr" the door tightly against its seat when thrown into position. When the weight oi the boiler is carried upon the front, it becomes necessary to use some device which will avoid strains being thrown upon it by the elongation of the boiler through diiferenees in temperature. In ordinary practice small rollers have been generally used for such purposes; but these are very apt to become blocked by any small accuinulation of dust, or will not revolve it' not To avoid this angle-pieces are riveted on each side of' the boiler of sufficient strength to sustain the weight, having a pocket or slight depression formed on their under side. These angle-pieces are preferably riveted on the shell of the boilerat about its center. Directly below them, when the boiler is brought in position7 sole-plates having.corresponding depressions are laid upon the cross-beam, and between the anglepieces on the drum and the sole-plates on the beam rockers formed of cast or wrought iron are' placed, having rounded ends to fit into the depressions in the anglcsand plates, said rockers being of suflicient-length to keep the bottom ot` the boiler clear of the upper side of the cross-beam. When any movement of the drum takes place through expansion, these rockers act as rollers upon which the drum can go and come without throwing any strain upon the front itself. 4

l claim as my inventionl. ln a boiler-front, the combination of two vertical flanged beams and two horizontal beams fastened together by angle-pieces,bolts, and rivets, the flanges ot' such Vertical and `horizontal beams being brought togetherin the same plane, in combination with one or more vertical T-irons, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a boiler-front, the combination of two vertical ilanged beams and two horizontal beams fastened together Yby angle-pieces, bolts,

and rivets, the ilanges of such vertical and horizontal beams being brought together in the saine plane, in combination with thedoors and panels adapted, respectively, to close the openings in the upper and lower divisions of said frame-work, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of an adjustable hinge, ilanged column, recessed to receive said hinge, and retaining-bolt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4i.. rlhe sustaining-brackets secured to the boiler, the sole-plates, and the intermediate rockers, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In afurnace-door provided with looselyfitted hinge-pins, the rider and locking-handles at top and bottom, substantially as and for the purpose described.

NAT. 7. PRATT. 1Witnesses:

SV. A. Finissant,

J. YV. Lawson.

IOO 

